Body found in a Picnic Point reserve

Esther Han

Police at Lambeth Reserve, off Henry Lawson Drive, where the body was found. Photo: Nick Moir

A badly burnt body has been found dumped in a south-west Sydney park on Monday morning, triggering a homicide investigation.

Bankstown police have called for help in identifying the burnt body and have urged the public to contact Crime Stoppers if they have been unable to contact friends, relatives or colleagues in the past 24 hours.

Council workers found the body on a roadway in Lambeth Reserve, off Henry Lawson Drive, in Bankstown just before 5.30am on Monday.

Due to the state of the body, police have only been able to ascertain that it is a male of adult age.

"The circumstances of finding the male's body is clearly a suspicious circumstance," said Superintendent Dave Eardley.

The body was about 50 metres from the entrance gate which is locked overnight, suggesting that the body was carried over a fence before being dumped, Superintendent Eardley said.

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Neighbours reported hearing a loud explosion around 4.30am.

Homicide detectives are combing the reserve for clues and police said a post-mortem would reveal more about the man's identity.

"We are calling out to any members of the public, any person who has knowledge from 9pm last night to 5am this morning who may have seen any activity... a car stopping, anything they think is suspicious in any way, please don't think it’s minor," Superintendent Eardley said.

Henry Lawson Drive has been closed in both directions.

Diversions are in place westbound into Picnic Point Road and eastbound into Elliot Street, a spokeswoman from the Transport Management Centre said.